Are school uniforms going out of fashion?

A respected former headteacher has said school uniforms are more trouble than they are worth. Education correspondent GARETH McPHERSON asks if they should be abolished.

Squabbles over uniforms are part and parcel of school life – ask any headteacher.

But Tony Cooper, one of the longest-serving principals in the county before he retired from Cottenham Village College in 2011, told the News last week that the uniform was a hassle that schools could do without.

He said it does nothing to improve learning or behaviour, is out-dated and impractical and distracts schools from their very purpose.

With valuable school hours being consumed in arguments over uniform policy amid a growing trend for dressing down in the workplace, particularly in places such as Cambridge Science Park, the News asks if the school uniform is falling out of fashion.

Rob Campbell, headteacher of Impington Village College, found his school’s uniform policy under global scrutiny when pupil Chris Whitehead wore a skirt to class in protest at its no shorts rule.

Mr Campbell said Chris’s cheeky stunt, which was reported in the News and other media across the world, was the least of his worries over dress.

He said: “I’ve had some right old squabbles with parents. It can literally take up hours of time going back and forth between parents and pupils and governors. You think: ‘What are we here for?’ We should be having these debates on learning rather than what children are wearing.”

“If you look around Cambridge there aren’t many workers in ties and blazers any more. You wouldn’t see politicians without a tie 20 years ago but that’s changed. You get people like Steve Jobs [late founder of Apple] who spent their working life stood up in jeans and a shirt. Who’s to say we won’t have school uniforms at all in the coming years.”

But the English teacher said there were positives to having school uniform, saying it takes the stress out of what children should wear to school.

He added: “As a sportsman, I think if you are all wearing the same garb it shows you a part of a team and that can bring its own benefits.”

He added there were large differences in family income between his pupils and that difference was less noticeable if they wore uniform.

When asked whether he would be the first state secondary head in Cambridge to dump uniforms he was not sure, saying it would be a brave decision to make. But he did not rule out making the move at some point.

Mandy Entwistle locked horns with Swavesey Village College after her daughter was punished for her trousers being too tight around her ankles.

She said: “You would not think there would be such a hoo-hah about school uniform but there is.

“I don’t think it should be abolished altogether because a uniform looks smart, but it should be more relaxed.

“Some children like to wear tight trousers and some like to wear baggy trousers and they should be free to do that. I think they should be able to express themselves that way.”

But she added: “I think if children are made to wear their own clothes you’ll get some who can afford the latest Nike trainers and others who are going to get teased and bullied.”

The norm for Cambridgeshire state secondary schools is for pupils to wear polo shirts and jumpers with smart trousers.

Although none of Cambridge’s secondaries have dumped uniform, a few primary schools have optional uniform such as St Luke’s and Park Street.

Retired Cambridge teacher Geoff Fewtrell, who is county secretary of the NASUWT teaching union, said enforcing uniform can increase staff workload, depending on the attitude of the school.

He said some headteachers use school uniform in a repressive way to keep children in line.

He added: “It’s mind-boggling what some schools are doing. If a child comes in with the wrong uniform they can spend a day in seclusion. If the staff do not enforce that they can be disciplined themselves, but it all depends on the ethos of the school.”

But he believes “a minimal school uniform policy” is the best method to prevent bullying and keep parents happy.

An online survey by the News found just 13 per cent wanted to see school uniform abolished.

MAKING sure your children have the right kit for school can prove tricky.

Between sports bags and complicated footwear, schools can sometimes make it difficult for parents to keep up.

Park Street Primary, in Market ward, allows children to wear polo shirts and sweatshirts with the school logo, but the uniform is not mandatory.

The school’s uniform policy states: “There is no compulsory school uniform, but children are expected to dress comfortably and appropriately for work – sensible shoes, covered shoulders and plain T-shirts without slogans.”

Children need wellington boots for lunchtime play and a sunhat to wear in the summer as well as a PE kit including navy shorts, a Park Street polo shirt and plimsolls in a drawstring bag.

However, some schools have a stricter view on what pupils should wear.

Swavesey Village College, which has said its uniform policy helps them reach high standards, asks pupils to wear a maroon sweatshirt and pale blue polo shirt, both with school logos, paired with black bootleg trousers for girls and suit trousers for boys.

Skirts must be black and knee length and not clingy or tight.

Students are not allowed to wear hats or outdoor garments in school and jewellery must be kept simple with only one ring on each hand.

Footwear must be black, with heels lower than 2in height, or plain black plimsolls. No sports or fashion logos or decoration should be visible on footwear.

Comments

Tony Cooper isnt respected hes a joke. I cannot believe that anyone is doing this article as five minutes of research will demonstrate that Cooper is a liar. When you need a journalist with skill rather than Mcpherson do let us know.....